


Narrow Escape

by Adoakrabley



Series: Eruri snippets [4]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Arguing, Bandaging, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, taking care of each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24697078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adoakrabley/pseuds/Adoakrabley
Summary: Levi was too tired of close calls
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Series: Eruri snippets [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1785484
Comments: 3
Kudos: 51





	Narrow Escape

Levi had found himself thoroughly spent- the night another expedition came up empty handed- but the carts were full. Levi- worn out- sagged against the wooden chair he was occupying- still was in full gear. The other side of the room was empty. 

Erwin was stuck with some post-expedition shit Levi couldn’t care about right then. He was  _ pissed _ . He had only been able to shed his shoes and jacket outside because no amount of distraction would let him walk in with such  _ filth.  _ He was now waiting, for what- _ whom _ \- exactly he didn’t know. Maybe for his body to finally listen to him and get ready for bed. It had been a long week.

“Did you show your back to a physician?” Levi didn’t hear the lock open, or footsteps but there he was- back, at the door. He seemed to have showered already too. Fresh- regular clothes and wet hair- Levi felt a scowl surface on his face as soon as he saw his worried face. The pain- now that he remembered- had dulled already.

“It’s just a muscle pull.” Levi felt too tired.  _ I don’t need your shitty concern right now _ . Levi kicked himself up to stand, walked towards his bed. Hand already reaching towards the clasps that held the belts around him. “It should still be looked at. Let me help you get out of your gear.” Erwin closed the door behind him. Levi sounded stubborn in his admission, trying to unclasp the ones on his lower back. “I can do it myself.” Levi winced.

Erwin was behind him now- Levi sighed- in frustration, felt a hand cupping his shoulders, “You don’t need to, don’t move too much.” Levi shrugged him off, “I don’t need you fucking help.”

Erwin wasn’t deterred, he instead pulled gently on his arm, to coax him-  _ please look at me _ \- and asked, “What’s up Levi?

But it only served to make Levi irritated- enraged- further, “I should be asking  _ you _ that.” He spit. Erwin seemed confused-  _ this fucker doesn’t even _ \- Levi crowded him as much as his height allowed him, jabbed a finger on his chest- _ accusatively _ \- and questioned, “Do you think the expeditions are suicide missions? If you are so eager for death just tell me I’ll be sure to give you a  _ quick and painless _ one.” 

It was dark but Levi had no trouble seeing realization dawn on his face, he opened his mouth, he stuttered, “Levi-” but was quickly shut down, “Is the corps supposed to run around like headless chicks, during  _ this _ time?” There was so much confusion, the unrest, uncertainty. Erwin in no way could undermine his vitality. If we lost him-  _ Who would I follow? _

Levi could almost find himself back there, could see Erwin lunging at the two recruits rather than the running abnormal, “Levi, I had to make quick decisions, on the spot.” -Could see it  _ get him-  _ It wasn’t clear if Levi heard; He looked through Erwin, eyes glossing over like he was  _ living it  _ again, “Just jumping into a situation like that-”

Erwin put a hand over his heart, “It’s my job to protect-” Levi slapped it away-  _ stop spouting bullshit you don’t believe _ \- he was angry, he was frustrated, “No it’s not! you are supposed to _ lead _ .” 

Erwin was silent, for a while. He was thinking before saying the next thing, “Levi, are you saying other people's lives are expendable compared to mine?” The calm tone only added to Levi’s fury- _ Knowing what you are doing gets easier year by year Erwin _ \- 

He could feel the ire festering, he gritted his teeth nonetheless, “You know what I meant you piece of shit, don’t twist my words.” He could yell, complain and express his disapproval but he did understand. Levi would’ve done the same thing if he had seen it first. It was probably something any soldier would do, if they saw two scared people they’d want to save them- in a split second decision- it’d come as second nature. _ I know he isn’t a martyr, he doesn’t believe in self sacrifice _ . _ For any soldier it gradually becomes instinct _ \- But Erwin wasn’t any soldier, he was supposed to be  _ better _ . What burned Levi’s throat is that he had to stand here for a second- he had to feel fear-  _ and he could’ve been a second too late _ \- “I had to step in, I had _ no other choice _ .” Erwin said, calmly and Levi-  _ saw red _ .

“YOU HAD ME MOTHERFUCKER.” He yelled- _ cried out _ \- at his face, hand fisted the collar of his shirt. He knew his breathing was uneven, body strung up.  _ I was just a shout away- I was faster- I was less- important.  _ “I was right there, you just needed to give me a  _ command,  _ you’re the  _ Commander _ , act like one!”  _ You could’ve trusted me to save them instead of risking yourself.  _ That moment, that moment he could see the titan grab at Erwin-  _ in slow motion _ \- and he almost imagined Erwin in a body bag-  _ or not part of him left at all _ \- and that was something he couldn’t accept. It was so, so probable but still- _ I _ \-  _ we can’t lose him _ .

Levi suddenly felt defeated, utterly defeated because he knew there wasn’t any logic to why he was bitter, why he was lashing out because he  _ understood  _ all of it- he knew _ why _ and _ how _ exactly Erwin thought that out and- yet; Levi sagged and rested his forehead on Erwin’s chest; he whispered something he knew Erwin already acknowledged, “The survey corps needs you.” And I-

“Levi-” His hands slid down his back, placating- steadying- grounding him- he said, “Levi, I’m here now, okay?”  _ Yes.  _ He felt the warmth and he felt the soft thudding of his heart- he was here- he was still here. His voice was soothing, low- comforting- and he moved both his hand over his back- on his waist- appeasing the wound up tension and he continued reassuring him, “I know what my role is, you do too. You killed that titan before it hurt anyone without being told to, didn’t you?”-  _ I could’ve been late- It was too close a call _ \- “We are safe, we saved two more lives.” The-  _ ultimately we should be grateful for that _ \- was silent. 

Erwin took his hand, “But I promise I will try to think better next time.” He squeezed and smiled down at him, “I’m still in one piece.” and he let him stay right there, like that, and just  _ breathe _ .

Levi looked up and said- _ warned _ \- in all seriousness, “Next time you pull a stunt like that I’ll break your arm. You can just sit at your desk and write strategy plans with one hand while we’re out.” Erwin was-  _ amused _ , Levi deepened his scowl to that- he didn’t seem to mind that too. His fingers walked the belt on Levi’s lower back, he hummed, “Mhmm, can I help you get out of these really filthy clothes now?”

Levi winced, finally remembering how he had held off getting clean. It now itched- prickled his skin like pins. He nodded and Erwin slowly started unclasping and tugging with experienced hands. Levi felt glad for the fact that he didn’t have to stand without support and do it himself- he wasn’t sure he could. Now that he was relaxed, his back did throb- there could be a muscle tear- and the tiredness seeped into his bones.

His shirt was unbuttoned- with gentle, efficient fingers. He slid the shirt off his shoulder and let it join the gear on the ground, caressed the bad shoulder softly. I’m so sleepy- Levi’s exhaustion had really caught up to him. Erwin sat him down on the chair. He crouched down in front of him to start removing his socks. Instead he tugged on one leg of his pants, “Your pants are ripped- here. Did you get scratched? He hiked the fabric up while Levi answered, “I don’t know.” Now that he paid attention, he can feel pin-pricks of pain on his shin. Erwin shook his head at the wound, “I’m surprised you haven’t disinfected it right away.”

Levi seemed to get highly alert all of a sudden and offhandedly commented while trying to get up, “I was preoccupied.” He had to get the first aid box-  _ quick _ . Erwin stopped him, getting up to get the box himself from Levi’s bedside drawer. He then came back to his crouching position in front of Levi, “No- let me.”

Levi tsk’d, “You can’t do it properly.” But didn’t resist as Erwin took a hold of his leg, braced his feet on him and hiked his pants up to his thigh. He placed the opened box beside him and looked up, “I have to know how to take care of my best soldier, can’t be a good for nothing commander.”  _ -Someday I’m gonna punch you cocky grin in and I won’t regret it _ \- Levi let him continue. He dotted alcohol on the matted blood, rubbed softly against the stubborn coagulation and said, “Getting off on looking down at me, Levi?” - _ Yeah, I won’t regret it one bit _ .

Levi let his head lean back, closed his eyes, only felt warm hands working his leg, the cold of alcohol and burning of his skin. He didn’t quite notice when the cleaning was done and when he was bandaged, he didn’t care to put too much attention and he was close to drifting off. Then he felt fingers running- barely there- up and down his calf and he looked down. He had none of Erwin’s attention- _ and all of it too _ . Thumbs dug into the sore flesh of his feet, palm smoothed over his ankle. Levi let him continue his care- _ worship.  _ He felt breaths tickling against his naked skin, the tip of his nose followed his veins.

Levi moved his feet, hooked it and touched his ear with his toes, inner ankle pressed into his jaw. Erwin pressed his cheek further to him- a mellow- fond glint in his eyes. Levi cocked his head to the side, “You treat all your soldiers like this, commander?”

The answer was a kiss pressed over his dressing, “As I said- only the best one.”


End file.
